Focus groups + classification sheets + nvivo 12

They aim to explore participantsвЂ™ experiences, beliefs, and attitudes by using group processes to stimulate responses and gain insights through participants exchanging views, and questioning and challenging each other. The difference in the two countries shows that adequate piloting and adaptation is crucial, and that some exercises may not be adaptable to all settings.ДЇocus group discussions (FGDs) have been used in public health research since the 1990s. Tailoring of the exercises, as well as thorough training and selection of the facilitators, were pivotal in this success. The majority of the exercises proved successful tools in yielding richer and less biased information from FGDs and were experienced as fun and engaging. The story telling exercise took relatively little time, was well understood, yielded rich data and reduced social desirability bias. The provocative statement exercise was most difficult for participants to understand, the decision-tree most difficult to facilitate and the picture exercises most enjoyable. Overall, the exercises worked better in Nigeria than in Ethiopia. Data richness, participant reaction and understanding, and ease of facilitation varied by study site, exercise, and participant group. Explaining and conducting the exercises increased FGD length. The exercises yielded more in-depth and complete information than вЂnormalвЂ™ FGDs, but facilitatorвЂ™s probing skills and overall FGD group dynamics proved crucial in this success. ResultsДЇacilitators and participants described the methods as вЂfunвЂ™ and вЂenjoyableвЂ™. All data were coded in NVIVO using a deductive coding frame. FGD verbatim transcripts and interview notes were analysed to explore methodological effectiveness and respondentsвЂ™ experience. Six facilitators and two supervisors who used these exercises were interviewed about their experiences. The six exercises (picture sorting, associative pictures, picture ranking, decision trees, predictive story-telling and provocative statements) were used in 32 maternal and new-born care themed FGDs conducted in Amhara and Southern Nations Nationalities and PeopleвЂ™s Regions (Ethiopia) and Gombe State (Nigeria). We selected six exercises for use in Ethiopia and Nigeria and report our experiences. Activity-oriented exercises have been suggested as a way overcoming these challenges, however little evidence exists - to date - on their use in low-income settings. In low-income settings steep power gradients between researcher and participants, as well as conversational norms, could reduce the ability of participants to voice personal opinions. The quality of data obtained through Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) is highly dependent on appropriate design and facilitation.

Focus groups + classification sheets + nvivo 12